Sewing machine



J. H. RICHARDSON.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APRJo, 1919.

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4 SHEETSSHEET I Mtness nz/entor J. H. RICHARDSON.

SEWING MACHINE.

M'PLICATION FILED APR. 10, 1919.

Q g M 6 J. H. RICHARDSON.

SEWING MACHINE.

AFPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1919.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M will!!! WWU .I. H. RICHARDSON.

SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 10. 1919.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFHCE JOHN H. RICHARDSON OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NO'R T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SEWING MACHINE.

To all whom it ma'gi concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. RICHARDSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at YVakefield, in the countyof Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it ap-- pertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to McKay shoe sole sewing machines of the type in which the desired uniformity in the length of the stitches is obtained by varying the limit of the loop drawing stroke of. the needle in accordance with variations in the thickness of the work, although it-is to be understood that, except as defined in the claims, the invention is not limited to this specific type of sewing machine.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved needle actuating mechanism for this type of sewing machine which positively reciprocates the needle in a uinformly reliable manner and which is exceptionally free from vibration even when the machine is running at high speed.

With this and other objects in view, the features of the present invention comprise certain constructions, arrangements, and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

The several features of the present invention will be readily understood from the following description and accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of a McKay shoe sewing machine embodying the features in their preferred form; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation, partly broken away, of the upper portion of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view, mostly in elevation, of the head of the machine illustrating the presser foot locking and actuating mechanism; Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the feed point actuating mechanism; Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional detail views taken on the lines 5-5 and 6-6 respectively, of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a detail view in side elevation of the cam for actuating the feed point with the component parts of the cam separated;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1919. Serial No.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922. 288,954.

and Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 88 of Fig. 4. The machine illustrated in the drawings 1s provided with a straight hook needle 2, a needle bar 4, a presser foot 6, a presser foot bar 7, a feed point 8 and a work supporting horn 10, all of which parts have the same general construction and mode of operation, except as hereinafter described, as the corresponding parts of the machine illustrated and described in the patent to Everett P. Richardson, No. 710,612, dated October 7, 1902, to which reference may be had for a full and complete description of these and other parts of the machine not fully (ls-- scribed. herein.

The needle actuating mechanism comprlses a pair of links 12 and 14 of equal length having their upper ends pivotally connected by a pivot pin 16. The lower end of the link 12 is pivotally connected to the needle bar and the lower end of the link 14 is pivotally connected to the lower end of a bell crank lever 18 which is fulcrumed at 20 on the frame of the machine. The bell crank lever is actuated to reciprocate the needle by means of a link 22 connecting the upper end of the lever with a crank arm 24 secured to the cam shaft 26 of the machine. It is obvious, with this construction, that the amount of movement imparted by the lever 18 to the needle bar to raise the needle may be decreased by adjusting the pivotal connection 16 toward the left, viewing Fig. 2. and may be increased by adjusting the pivotal connection 16 toward the right. The arrangement of the links 12 and 14 is such that the pivotal connection of the link 12 and the needle bar, and the pivotal connection of the link 14 and the bell crank lever 18 will be broughtinto alinement at the limit of the down or work piercing stroke of the needle so that the limit of this stroke of the needle is fixed. The pivotal connection 16 is adjusted to the left or right, as the case may be, to vary the loopdrawing stroke of the needle in accordance with the thickness of the work by mechanism connecting the pivotal connection 16 with the presser foot bar. Such adjustment takes place at the completion of the work feeding movement, at which time the presser foot is yieldingly pressed in engagement with the work to permit it to accommodate itself to the thickness of the work and is then locked in position.

The presser foot remains locked in enga ement with the work until the start of t e work feeding movement when it is ralsed a fixed distance from the work and is held in the operator,

this position until released at the end of the feeding movement. The pivotal connection of the pair of links is connected to the presser foot by means of a link 28 having its left end pivoted upon the pivot pin 16 and its right end pivotally and adjustably connected to the upper end of a lever'30. The lever 30 is fulcrumed at 32on the frame of the machine and is provided with a stud or roll 34 which engages a downwardly and outwardly inclined slot 36 in a plate 38 secured to the presser foot bar. To enable by means of a foot treadle (not shown) connected with the presser foot bar, to raise the presser foot without causing undue movement of the pivotal connection 16, the lower end of the slot 36 is made vertical.

The mechanism for actuating the presser foot and locking it in engagement with the work comprises an arm 40 secured to a rock shaft 42, the free end of which arm is provided with a pivoted block 44 engaging a slot 46 in the presser foot bar. The rock shaft 42 is acted upon in a direction to hold the presser foot in yielding engagement with the work by a torsion spring 48. The presser foot is locked in engagement with the work by means of an arm 50 having its lower end secured to the rock shaft 42, and its upper end secured to the outer ends of a plurality of friction plates 52 which form a component part of a friction clamping device 54. The other component part of the clamping device 54 comprises a plurality of friction plate 56 which are interfitted between the plates 52 and are secured to a lever 57'having its lower end pivoted on the rock shaft 42. The component parts of the clamping device are pressed together to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work at the proper times by means of a lever 58 fulcrumed on a bolt 60 secured to the lever 57 The upper end of the lever 58 engages the rear side of the clamping device and the lower end of the leve is connected by a link 62 with a cam actuated lever 64 which is provided with a cam roll 66 engaging the groove in a cylinder cam 68 carried by the cam shaft 26 of the machine. In order to maintain the levers 57 and 58 in proper alinement, a rod 70 extends through apertures in said levers and is secured to the lever 57. V

The presser foot is raised from the work at the start of the feeding movement through a link 71 which connects the lever '57 of the clamping device 54 with an'upstanding lever 7 2 having its lower end pivoted on the frame of the machine. The upper end of the lever 72 is furnished with a roll 74 which engages a cam groove 76 in a disk carried by the cam shaft of the machine. To enable the amount of movement imparted to the presser foot by the cam to be accurately adjusted by the operator, the pivotal connection of the link 71 and the lever 57 of the clamping device 54 is made adjustable. This pivotal connection com rises a pin 78 upon which the left end of t e link 71 is pivoted, which pin is integral with a block 80 adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of a slot 82 in the lever 57 and secured in adjusted position. The right end of the link is pivoted upon a pin 84 secured to the cam actuated lever 72. This arrangement of the slot 82 and the pivotal connection of the link 71 and lever 72 is such that by adjusting the left end of the link longitudinally of the slot, a relatively slight variation is effected in the amount of movement imparted by the cam to the presser foot, so that a fine adjustment may be obtained. To effect a greater range of adjustment of such movement of the presser foot, the lever 72 is furnished with a second aperture 86 in which the pivot pin 84 for the link 71 may be secured.

In the present embodiment of the invention, in order to ensure the formation of a tight or close seam firmly pressing the layers of material together and to ensure that the presser foot will measure the true thickness of the work, the presser foot is positively depressed to compress the work between it and the work supporting horn at the end of the feeding movement just before the presser foot is released to yieldingly engage the work. The distance that the presser foot is depressed is slightly greater than the distance the presser foot is raised. This is accomplished by means of a rise 88 on the cam 87 When the extremity of this part of the cam engages the cam roll 74, the clamping device is unlocked to permit the presser foot to yieldingly engage. the work. I

In prior McKay shoe sole sewing machines, the mechanism for actuating the feed point comprises an open cam and a lever or other member provided with a roll which is held in engagement with the periphery of the cam by means of a spring. It has been found with the use of such mechanism for actuating the feed point, that when the machine is running at high speed, the roll is held a substantial distance from the periphery of the cam during a part of each revolution which ob'ectionably affects the actuation of the feed point. Moreover with the use of such prior mechanisms, difliculty has been experienced in properly adjusting the movement of the feed point. In order to overcome these disadvantages in the prior constructions, the mechanism for actuating the feed point in' the illustrated machine comprises a closed cam which is made adjustable to obtain the desired adjustment of the movement of the feed point. This cam is indicated at 90 (Figs. 4, 7 and 8) .and consists of a disk carried by the main shaft which is provided with a cam groove 91. The' disk is made in two sections 92 and 93. The section 92 is provided with a tongue 94 which engages a groove 95 in-the section 93 and said sections are further provided with overlying portions 96 and 97 respectively. The tongue and groove, and the other overlying portions of the sections are firmly held together by a screw 98 which extends through a slot" in the section 93 and is screwed into an aperture in the section 92. Said overlying portions are constructed. and arranged so that by loosening the screw the sections may be adjusted toward and from each other to obtain the desired adjustment of the throw of the cam, and still preserve an unbroken cam groove. The connection between the cam and the feedpoint is substantially the same as that disclosed in the patent to Everett P. Richardson hereinbefore referred to. This connection comprises an arm- 100 to the lower end of which the feed point is secured, and the upper end of which is pivotally mounted upon a plate 102 located adjacent the rear side of the presser foot bar. A coiled spring 104 is connected to the arm 100 which acts to swing the feed point downwardly. The upper-end of the plate 102 is bifurcated to receive a pivot pin 106 secured-to the presser foot bar, and the lower end Of'lStlid plate is provided with an upwardly and outwardly inclined slot 108 V which is engaged by a guide pin 110 secured to the presser foot bar. The lower end of the plate 102 is connected by a link 112 to is caused to circulate from the the lower end of a cam actuated lever 114 which is fulcrumed on a stud 116 secured to the frame of the machine. The upper end of the lever 114 isprovided with 'a roll which engages the groove in the cam 90. The cam lever 114 is urged in a direction to maintain the cam roll in the inner wall of the cam groove by means of a torsion spring 118 coiled about the stud In the illustrated machine, a hot water heating device is employed for heating the worksupporting horn 10 whereby hotwater base of the horn up to a point in proximity to the tip of the horn and then back to the base. The horn is provided with'the usual spindle 122 mounted to rotate in an aperture in a bracket 124- secured to the frame of the machine. The horn is further provided with a cylindrical base 126 and an upwardly curved portion 129 in the upper end of which is mounted the usual whirl or looping device 130. This device is driven through the usual arrangement of shaftsand gears 132 ex tending through the upwardly curved porengagement with cess 138 and substantially fills said recess.

The curved portion 129 of the horn is cored out to form an inverted U-shaped water container or passage 142 which extends from a point in proximity to the base to the upper portion of the horn. The lower ends of the passage are connected by tubular conduits 144 to the water container 136. The lower end of one of the conduits is closer to the top of the water container 136 than the other conduit, so that when this container is heated, the water therein and in the passage 142 is caused to circulate and thereby uniformly heat the horn to roperly condition the waxed thread whic extends through the horn. Water is supplied to the passage 142 and container 136, through an opening leading into the upper end of the passage, which opening is normally closed by a removable plug 143 threaded therein.

The heating device above described forms the subject matter of an application filed October 20, 1920, Serial No. 418,178.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and a machine embodying the several features of the inven tion having been specifically described, what is claimed is 1. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, mechanism for reciprocation of the needle bar upon a change in the relative positions of the work support and presser foot due to a change in the thickness of the work to vary one of the limits of the needle stroke.

2. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, mechanism for actuating the needle comprising pivotally connected links one of which is pivotally connected directly to the needle bar and the other of which is pivotally connected directly to one end of a lever, a link directly connecting the other end of the lever with a. rotary crank arm whereby the lever and links are actuated to reciprocate the needle, a work support, a presserfoot, and means to vary the path of said pivotal connection of the links ahgularly with relation to the direction of reciprocation of the needle bar upon a change in the relative positions of the work support and presser toot due to a change in the thickness of the work to vary one of the limits of the needle stroke.

3. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, mechanism for actuating the needle comprising pivotally connected links one of which is pivotally connected directly to the needle bar, means comprising the other of said links for swinging the pivotal connection of the links in an arc to reciprocate the needle, a work support, 'a presser foot. and means for varying the path of said pivotal connection of the links angularly with relation to the direc tion of reciprocation of the needle bar upon a change in the relative position of the work support and presser foot due to a change in the thickness of the work to vary one of the limits of the needle stroke, said latter means comprising a link connecting said pivotal connection with a lever, and a cam surface on the presser foot bar for actuating the lever.

4. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, a work support, a presser toot, mechanism for actuating the presser foot, and mechanism for reciprocating the needle and for varying one of the limits of the needle stroke in accordance with variations in the thickness of the work, the latter mechanism comprising a lever and a cam surface on the presser foot bar for actuating the lever.

5. Asewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, a work support, a presser feet, a presser toot bar, mechanism for actuating the presser foot, and mechanism for reciprocating the needle and for varying one of the limits of the needle stroke in accordance with variations in the thickness of the work, the latter mechanism comprising a lever, a member carried by the presser foot bar having a cam surface for actuating the lever, and pivotally connected links, one of which is pivotally connected directly to the lever and the other of which ?is pivotally connected directly to the needle 6. A. sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a needle bar, mechanism for actuating the needle comprising a pair of links of equal length pivotally connected at one end, the other end of one of the links pivotally connected directly to the needle bar, the other er-d of the other link pivotally connected to an actuating member which positions the latter pivotal connection in substantial alinement with the pivotal connection of the other link and the needle bar when the needle stroke is at one of its limits, a work support, a presser foot, means comprising said actuating member, and the link needle, a work support, a presser toot, a

clamping device connected with the presser foot, means for locking the parts of the clamping device to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work and for unlocking the parts of the clamping device to permit the presser foot to accommodate itself to the thickness of the work, and means comprising a cam actuated lever and a link connecting said lever with a member of the clamping device for actuating the clamping device to lift the presser foot.

8. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, mechanism for actuating the needle, a work support, a presser toot, a clamping device connected with the presser foot, means for locking the parts of the clamping device to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work and for unlocking the clamping device to permit the presser foot to accommodate itself to the thickness of the work, a cam actuated lever, and a link connecting the lever with a member of the clamping device for moving the clamping device in a direction to lift the presser foot, said link and said member of the clamping device capable of being relatively adjuste to vary the distance the presser foot is lifted.

9. A sewing. machine having, in combina tion, a needle, mechanism for actuating the needle, a work support, a presser foot, a.

clamping device connected, with the presser foot, means for locking the clamping device to lock the presser foot in engagement with the work and for unlocking the clamping device to permit the presser foot to accommodate itself to the thickness of the work, and means comprising a cam actuated lever connected to a member of the clamping device by a link for lifting the presser foot when the clamping device is locked, said link having one end pivotally connected to the cam actuated lever and its other end pivotally and adjustably secured in a slot in said member of the clamping device whereby the latter end of the link may be adjusted longitudinally of the slot to vary the amount of movement imparted by the cam actuated lever to the clamping device.

10. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, mechanism for actuating the needle, a work support, a presser foot, a clamping device connected with the presser foot, means for locking the clamping device to lock the presser foot in engagement with actuated lever to the clamping device.

11. A sewing machine having, in conibination, a needle, foot, means for feeding the -Work,and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising means for raising the presser foot approximately at the start of the work feed-, ing movement and for positively depressing the presser foot through a greater distance approximately at'the end of the work feeding movement to compress the work between the presser foot and work support.

12. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a work support, a presser foot, meansfor feeding the work, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising means for raising-the presser foot a uniform distance regardlessof variations in the thickness of the work approximately at the'start of the work feeding movement and for positively depressing the presser foot through a greater distance after the work is fed to compress the workbetween the presser foot and work support, and means to cause the presser foot to be held in yielding engagement with the work after said depressi'ng movement.

- 13. A sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a work support, a presser foot, means for actuating the presser foot comprising a cam positlvely connected to the presser foot for raising the presser foot a uniform distance regardless of variations in the thickness of the Work approximatelyat the start of the work feeding movement, and for depressing the presser foot through a greater distance approximately at the end of the work feeding movement to compress the work between the presser foot and the work support.

.14. A shoe sole sewing machine having, in combination, a needle, a presser foot, mechanisms for actuating the needle and presser foot, a feed point, a means connecting the cam and feed point for actuating the feed point,v said cam capable of being adjusted to vary movement imparted tothe feed point.

15; A shoe sole sewing 'machine having,

a work support, a presser- -movement and for closed cam, andv the amount of in combination, a needle, a presser foot, mechanisms for actuating the needle and presser foot, and mechanism comprising a closed cam for actuating the feed point, the latter mechanism being adjustable to vary the amount of movement imparted to the feed point. 7

16. A sewing machine having,-in' com bination, a needle, a work support, a presser foot, means for feeding the work, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising a clamping device and axlever con-- necting the clamping device with the presserfoot for raising the presser foot approxi-' mately at the start .of the work feeding depressing the presser foot through a greater distance approximately at the end of the work feeding movement to contpress presser foot and the work support, and means for unlocking the clamping device to permit the presser foot to be held in yielding engagement withthe work after said depressing' movement.

17. A sewing machine having, incombination, a needle, a foot, means for feedin the work, and mechanism for actuating 51c presser foot com prising a clamping device and a spring actuated rock shaft connecting the clamp ing device and presser foot a uniform distance approximately at the start ofthe wrk feeding movement and for depressing the presser foot,through a greater, distance after the work is fed to compress the work between the presser foot and work 'support, and means for unlocking-the clamping device to permit the spring hold the with the ment.

18. A sewing bination, a needle,

presser foot in yielding engagement a work support, a. presser the work "between the work support, a presser presser foot for raising the actuated rock shaft to machine having, in comfoot, means for feeding the work, and mechanism for actuating the presser foot comprising. a clampingv device for raising the presser foot a uniform distance approximately at the start of the work feeding move.- ment and for depressing the presser foot through a greater distance after the work is; fed to compress the work-between the presser foot and-the work support, and a cam for unlocking the clamping device to permit the presser foot to be held in yielddepressing movement.

-1ng engagement with the work after said 1 

